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Sunday, October 12, 2014

International Day of the Girl

This weekend is Canadian Thanksgiving and yesterday was International Day of the Girl. I'll have a post about my Thanksgiving later, but today I wanted to talk about being a girl. I wasn't always, but I'm proud to be a girl. I'm even prouder that I'm raising one.

Me and my girl.

I didn't always want to be a girl. When I was younger I wanted so badly to be a boy. It always seemed like the boys were having more fun. I hated the gender stereotyping I saw everywhere as a child in the 80s even though my parents always told me I could do anything a boy could do. And I did - I played with cars and trucks, I wore pants and got dirty, I went to Beavers, and I played every sport my younger brother did including softball, hockey, and football.

I cried the day I first got my period. It was like the deal was sealed: I was destined to be a girl forever. I put on a pad, wiped my tears, and went to hockey practice. My life didn't change.

Something changed though I'm not sure what or when, but I came to be really happy about myself and my life. I love being a girl and wouldn't have it any other way. I may never be as strong as the average man, my hips will always be wide, and my fat closer to my skin than my muscle. But my body has done some pretty incredible things, things like growing little humans, delivering them into the world, and sustaining them. My arms will always be where my babies come when they're upset or need a hug.

My hope is that my daughter grows up comfortable and confident and happy. I hope she doesn't ever wish to be something she isn't, that she doesn't see that boys can do one thing while girls do another. We talk a lot about gender in our house and are sure to explain really well when there's something one kid can do and not the other. Both kids play with the same toys, read the same books, and do the same activities. We don't downplay the difference between girls and boys because there are differences, but we talk about them. We talk about our bodies and what they can do when we treat them well.

I know we have it good in Canada. I know my daughter won't face the same issues that girls in other parts of the world face every day, but there will be things that come up. I will continue talking to her and to my boy. Every day.

1 comment:

Grr, I think Google ate my comment! I was just saying thanks for sharing your great story - my middle daughter is a tomboy and sometimes uncomfortable with being a girl, and lives in terror of puberty. I'm so reassured to hear about a tomboy who grew up to love being a girl!

The girl behind the blog

Welcome to The Life of K. I am K. I am a wife, a mother, a friend, a daughter. I am a scientist and a blogger, a runner and a reader. I am a lot of things but really, I'm just a girl in the world. I'm probably a lot like you. I'm in my early thirties, married with with two kids and a cat. This blog is my outlet. I write about the things I like, the things I do and the places I go. I write about what I want to be when I grow up and my observations on life. J is my husband, Little J is my boy and Little K is my girl. Come play with me. You can also follow me on Twitter: @lifeofk.